CITA lost its funding

Rong Chhun (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

21 April 2011
By Sambath
Cambodia Express News
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Phnom Penh – Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), claimed that his organization is out of fund to operate since April 2011. He is currently calling on donors to help fund his organization so it may operate again.

CITA was set up in 2000. Its mission involves educational work, such as denouncing corruption in education, denouncing irregularities involving the school administrators, the quality of education, irregularities during exams, etc… Rong Chhun claimed that CITA has tens of thousands members throughout the country.

Government officials have labeled CITA as an organization whose activity serves the opposition party, just like Chea Mony’s Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC). The government does not consider CITA as its partner, but rather as an opposition politician. Rong Chhun is also the President of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) grouping CITA and FTUWKC.

Rong Chhun is known as a protestor on various issues, including the problem of borders, the rise of gasoline price. However, the government always considers his protests as serving the opposition SRP party. The stop of funding to CITA by donors countries could force it to inaction.